Hand knitting apparatus



Dec. 8, 1959 os 2,915,887

HAND KNITTING APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HA/VS MOSfR Dec. 8, 1959 H. MOSER HAND KNITTING APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENT R ATTORNEYS H. MOSER HAND KNITTING APPARATUS Dec. 8, 1959 Filed June 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR H/WS MUSE/ By a ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1959 H. MOSER 2,915,887

HAND KNITTING APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.8

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//V 105 N TOR HANS M0527? f MW ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1959 H. MOSER 2,915,887

HAND KNITTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 1'7, 1955 //VVE/YTOR H/WS M05R 5 My ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,915,887 HAND KNITTING APPARATUS Hans Moser, Biel, Switzerland Application June 17, 1955, Serial No. 516,209 Claims priority, application Switzerland June 19, 1954 15 Claims. (Cl. 6660) The present invention has for its object the provision of a hand knitting apparatus which enables a variety of knitting stitches to be made despite its simple design, and in particular selective plain and circular knitting to be produced.

The hand knitting apparatus according to this invention is characterized by two angularly opposed unitary lightalloy needle boards provided with transverse grooves in which latch needles are slidably arranged and which needle boards are interconnected so as to be displaced relative to each other, the front needle board being forwardly tiltable after removal of a locking member, and further characterized by a lock associated with each needle board which locks are displaceable singly or together along the needle boards, individual lock portions being adjustably arranged for the purpose of enabling the knitting pattern to be altered.

A further embodiment of the hand knitting apparatus according to this invention consists in the fact that the two locks are each slidable on separate guide rails along the needle boards while the latter are interconnected only at their two ends. In particular this arrangement achieves the advantage that the space between the two needle boards is accessible over the entire width of the apparatus for the purpose of inserting a striking comb.

The two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view of the rear lock from below of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the path of the needles through the locks during normal knitting (dotdash lines) and during circular knitting (thin full lines);

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the path of the needles through the locks during the knitting of a patent rib pattern;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rear lock with the control knobs;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the front lock with the control knobs;

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the needle boards with the locks;

Fig. 7 is a view of the needle board section alone;

Fig. 8 is a view from below of a lock set for standard knitting of a second embodiment;

Fig. 9 is a view of the lock set for circular knitting;

Fig. 10 is a view of the lock set for knitting a patent rib pattern;

Fig. 11 is a top view of the same lock shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a cross section of the needle boards with the locks;

Fig. 13 is a cross section of one needle board with the guide rails and a transverse section of the lock;

Fig. 14 is a bottom plan of one end of the two needle beds in position swung apart open with relation to each other;

Fig. 15 is a top plan on the needle beds folded together.

-An embodiment of the hand knitting apparatus shown comprises (Fig. 6) two angularly opposed needle boards Patented Dec. 8, 1959 v 18 formed of alight alloy. Arranged in the transverse grooves of the unitary boards 18 are slidable latch needles 17. Each board is equipped with two guide grooves F (Fig. 7) for the locks 26. The two boards 18 are each bolted to two supports 22. The two pairs of supports are connected by hinges 19 so that the front needle board can be longitudinally displaced relatively to the rear board by means of the handle 20 attached to the front pair of supports, one half of the hinge sliding on the hinge pin 28. Bolt 27 is provided as a guide when the boards are relatively displaced. After withdrawal of the bolt 27 the front board can be tilted forward around the hinge pin 28. The displaceable boards enable staggered patterns to be produced.

Each of the locks 26 can be individually reciprocated on its associated board in the usual manner by means of handle 8. If the two handles 8 are coupled by means of yoke 16, the two locks will be displaced together.

Apart from the thread feeder, the two locks are similar. Each lock (Fig. 1) is provided with a center wing cam 4, a fully disengageable rotatable needle lifter 1, 2 on either side thereof, an auxiliary needle lifter 6 equipped with a deflecting spring 7 at both ends, two auxiliary wing cams 5 and a patent rib pattern cam 3 associated with the cam 2.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the rear lock is furthermore equipped with a thread feeder having a feeder housing 15. In this housing is accommodated shaft 10 to one end of which is screwed a rubber wheel 9 which causes the thread feeder 11 to be automatically swivelled by through friction on the needle board when the lock movement is reversed. The reference numeral 14 designates a thread feeder guide and 13 an adjusting screw. Latch guards 12 are arranged on both sides of the thread feeder 11 which guards are formed of a length of tube having a milled-out triangular recess at its lower portion and designed to keep the latches open. Fig. 4 shows the rear lock in plan View, and the actuating knobs 21, 23 for the wing cam 4, the actuating knob 31 for the needle lifter 2 and the actuating knob 33 for the needle lifter 1. Each knob is equipped with an associated dial on the lock body, which indicates the setting.

In Fig. 2 dot-dash lines indicate the path of the needles for normal knitting, the thin full lines showing it for circular knitting.

In normal knitting the needles and needle heels respectively pass above the deflecting spring 7 from normal position and to the engaged needle lifter 1 which lifts them into their extreme raised position. Then they pass the space between lifter l and the auxiliary wing earn *5 and are returned to feed position by the latter. Subsequently they are depressed by the needle wing cam 4 in accordance with its setting, i.e. as per the loop size desired. Afterwards the needles slide back into rest position A while slightly swivelling upwards the two cams 2 and 3. After the passage of the needles, these cams drop again under their own weight. In the return movement of the lock the path of the needles is reversed, i.e. it is inverted relatively to the transverse central plane.

In circular knitting the needles slide from rest position A in Fig. 2 below the earn 1 now opened, pass the lock linearly and leave it inoperatively. On their return stroke, the needles however follow the normal path described above (rising over cam 2) and thus knit normally. During the joint passage of the two locks, only one lock is operative in the one direction, and only the other in the opposite direction.

Fig. 3 illustrates the knitting of a patent rib pattern. Here the needles slide beneath the opened cam 2 and are then raised by the patent rib pattern cam 3 far enough for the thread to be fed while the loops remain on the' needles without being stripped off. On their return, the

operative alternately so that only one feeds the thread while the other knits normally, and vice-versa. l Since the front needle board 18 can be tilted forwards as described, the rear board 18 can be operated alone for the manufacture of plain work, or both boards may be operated together. The'complete unit can be attached to a table edge by means of theclamping device 29 of which portions are shown.

Fig. 7 shows that the' needle boards 18 are each equipped with two guide grooves F for the looks, a groove H for a brake cord and a dovetail groove G-for insertion of suitable needle retaining rails. Both needle boards are reinforced by two longitudinalribs K. A hook J on the upper inner edge of the needle boards is designed to hold the knitted work down so that operation is possible without having recourse to weighting.

The hand knitting apparatus according to the second embodiment (Fig. 12) comprises two'angularly opposed needle boards 34a formed of a light alloy. Displaceably' arranged in transverse grooves provided in the unitary boards 34a are the latch needles. On each side end of the two needle boards 34a is attached a member formed of punched sheet metal 55 and 56 respectively as by screws, and the two members are swivellably connected by the hinge pin 42. A bolt 43 is designed to act as a guide when the two boards are displaced longitudinally. After removal of bolt 43 the front needle board can be tilted forward around hinge pin 42. As the boards are displaceable, it is possible to produce staggered patterns. The connecting sheets 55 and 56 leave the space between the two beds 34a freely accessible for insertion of a striking comb.

Apart from the thread feeder 49 arranged in the longitudinal center of the rear lock, the two locks are designed in similar manner. As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the-two boards 34a each have a top and bottom dovetail groove to hold the guide rail 35 and 36 respectively. The upper edge of the section of lock 37 is guided in a groove 36a of rail 36 while the lower edge of the lock section is equipped with a recess 37a holding one edge of the guide rail 35. From recess 37a projects a longitudinal slot enabling the clearance between recess 37a and the edge of the guide rail to be adjusted bymeans of clamp screws in the event of the clearance having become too large owing to wear. Below the dovetail groove housing the guide rail 36 in the board, the latter is equipped with a longitudinal groove H to hold a brake cord.

The thread feeder 49 already mentioned (Fig. 12) is bent to V-shape at its free end and provided with a V-shaped recess on both sides (Fig. 11) so that it will act as a latch guard at the same time. The reference numerals 4448 (Fig. 12) designate the various members of the thread tension device arranged on-the rear lock 37. The guiderail 35 of the rear needle board 34a serves as an attachment flange, as shown in Fig. 12, enabling the entire apparatus to be secured to a table top by means of a screw clamp.

The two locks are equipped with handles 38 and 39 respectively by means of which they can be reciprocated on their associated board in known manner. If the two handles 38 and 39 are connected by the yoke 40 and the screw 41, the two locks will be displaced jointly.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the sectionsof the locks 37 are provided with two longitudinal ribs 37b which are designed on the one hand to reinforce the locks and are able, on the other, to hold the needle heels in'their upper and lower-neutral positions. These two positions are designated by 51 and 52in Fig. 12. The effective operating space of the locks is located betweenthe two longitudinal ribs 37b.

As may be seen in Fig. 8, each lock comprisestwo swivellable earns 62 and 63which can be actuated by means of a joint lever mechanism 65 and a knob 50, 53. On both sides of the pair of cams 62, 63 is arranged a fixed auxiliaryneedle lifter 61 and between the two cams is provided a fixed auxiliary wing cam 60. The two cams can be locked in -their normal knitting position (Fig. 8) by axiallydisplaceable pins 58 and 59, and a tension spring 64 is attached to both. The axially displaceable pin 57 serves to' limit the swivelling of cam 62. Bolts 66, 66, are points of rotation for the levers- 65, 65, respectively.

The knitting. lock operates in the following manner according to the setting of the cams:

In normal knitting (Fig. 8) the two cams are locked by the two pins58 and 59 (knobs 59 and 58 in Fig. 11).. The needles and needle heels respectively slide from their rest position past the .first auxiliary needle lifter 61 to 63 which can be swivelled.

cam 62 in the direction of the arrows and are lifted by the said'cam to their extreme raised position; in this position they glide horizontally over to the auxiliary wing cam 60 and are lowered by the latter into the thread feeding position. Subsequently they traverse the space forward of the cam 63, are lowered into their low position. and return to their rest position over the second aux-- iliary needle lifter 61. On the return stroke, the lock operates in the same manner. By means of knobs 50,v

53 the lowered position of the cams 62 and 63, and theloop size, can be adjusted. The setting can be read off a dial 54 (Fig. 11).

Fig. 9 illustrates circular knitting. The needles (needleheels) glide over the auxiliary needle lifter 61 to the cam: against the action of tension; pin 59 (Fig. 11) has been spring 64 because locking withdrawn. The pressure of the needle heel depresses the cam so that the needles pass the lock inoperatively. When the locks are displaced jointly in one direction, only one lock will operate, when displaced in the opposite direction, the other lock will become operative. The path of the operative needles is shown in broken lines in Fig. 9; i

Fig. 10 shows patent rib move ,as in normal (Fig. 11) has been withdrawn, depress cam 62 against the action of spring 64 to the stop pin (position shown in full lines in Fig. 10). The needles are therefore lifted only far enough for theyarn feeder 49 to insert the thread in the needles without, however, stripping the old loops off In cross grooves of these needle beds there are displaceably positioned latch needles 17, while along thelength of said needle bed, a knitting lock 26 is slideably guided. The knitting locks 26 for service are provided with handles 8, which can be coupled by means of a manual device 16, for the purpose of common control together of the two knitting locks.

On the ends of the two needle beds there are fastened suitably for the purpose in view, hinges 19 by means of supports 22, which hinges on their respective ends have each a bore 81, 82 83, 84. The bores lie in the operative position on the plane of symmetry of the two needle beds 18, in their longitudinal direction. In an under bore of a hinge 19 of each hinge pair there is fastened a hinge pin or bolt 28, which engages in the corresponding bore on another hinge 19 and thus facilitate a swingable and longitudinally slidable relation betweenv both needle beds 18. In the upper bores 82, 84, there are loosely guided locking bolts 27 which fix the-working-position of the twopattern knitting. The needles knitting but, since the locking pin 5 8 needle beds 18, but, however, tudinal displacement. For the control of the longitudinal displacement of the two needle beds with reference to each other, there is swingably attached a handle 20 to one of the supports, whose inwardly positioned end engages in a corresponding recess 85 of a hinge 19 fastened on the other needle bed. By pushing of the handle 20 there can be caused therefore the longitudinal sliding of the two needle beds (18, 18) in a simple way. After release of the locking bolt 27, there can be produced an unfolding out from each other of the two needle beds, as shown in Fig. 14.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. A hand knitting apparatus comprising a pair of needle boards provided with transverse grooves, latch needles slidably positioned in said board grooves, supports for each of said boards pivotally and slidably connected to each other, said boards being mounted thereon in angularly opposed positions, said supports and boards being capable of being longitudinally displaced relative to one another for producing staggered patterns as well as pivoted from one another, detachable means for normally locking said supports against pivotal movement and guiding said supports during sliding movements thereof and a pair of locks with each lock slidably mounted on one of said boards for displacing the needles thereon.

2. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of hinges are connected to said supports, a pin pivotally and longitudinally slidably supports said hinges, and said detachable means consists of a bolt detachably extending through said hinges for normally preventing the pivoting thereof and guiding said hinges during their sliding movement.

3. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein an actuating handle is provided for sliding each lock and a yoke is provided for interconnecting the handies of both locks for operating the same together.

4. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lock includes an adjustable central wing cam capable of changing the loop size, a pair of disengageable needle lifters with each lifter provided on an opposite side of said wing cam, an auxiliary needle lifter and a pair of deflecting springs with each spring provided on an opposite end of said auxiliary needle lifter.

5. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 having an automatically swivelling thread feeder comprising a rubber wheel frictionally engaging a needle board when the direction of a lock is changed, a thread feeder controlled by said rubber wheel, and a latch guard including two pieces of tubing each having a milled-out triangular recess in its bottom with both tubes positioned one on each side of said thread feeder.

6. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each needle board is provided with a pair of reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally of said board and hooks provided on the front edge of said board for holding down the knitted work.

do not hinder the longi- 7. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of guide rails are provided on each board and the lock for said board is displaceably mounted on said rails.

8. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supports consist of sheet members one connected to each end of each of said boards, and a pin pivotally connects said sheet members and said detachable means consists of a bolt detachably extending through said sheet members.

9. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lock includes a pair of swivelable cams serving as both needle lifters and wing cams and a lever system connected to said cams for swivelling the same.

10. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lock includes a pair of cams, a wing cam positioned between said pair of cams, and a pair of auxiliary needle lifters each positioned on opposite sides of said pair of cams.

11. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a thread feeder is fixedly connected at one end to the longitudinal center of the rear lock, said feeder is bent at its opposite end having a V-configuration and each side is provided with a latch guard having a V-shaped recess.

12. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lock includes a pair of cams and displaceable pins for locking said cams in their normal knitting position.

13. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each lock includes at least one cam and a disengageable stop for retaining said cam whereby said cam will raise said needles sulficiently to enable a thread to be inserted while old loops are retained thereon.

14. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each needle board is provided with a brake cord, a pair of dovetail grooves, guide rails are mounted in said grooves for guiding the corresponding lock on said board, at least one guide rail is capable of being used as an attachment flange for the apparatus and a groove for said brake cord.

15. A hand knitting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each board is provided with a pair of guide rails extending longitudinally of said board, one rail has a longitudinally extending groove, the corresponding lock has an edge slidably mounted in said groove and the opposite edge slidably positioned against the other of said rails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 452,018 Olsson May 12, 1891 1,072,856 Kellner et a1 Sept. 9, 1913 2,334,353 Ralston Nov. 16, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 361,779 Germany Oct. 19, 1922 404,803 Great Britain Ian. 25, 1945 518,427 Belgium Mar. 31, 1953 

